Life in the Land of the Ice and Snow
Infiltrating Sweden one cinnamon bun at a time
A 10 year old girl asked to use my desk phone yesterday. Here’s how it went: Girl: How do I dial? Me: Just dial direct. You don’t need anything special to get out. Girl: (puts receiver down on desk, dials number and stands there) Now what do I do? Me: PUT IT TO YOUR EAR! … Read more
Wednesday was the first time I have ever driven a car to work in Sweden. Normally I take the subway or bus, so I’ve never had the opportunity to experience Stockholm’s early rush hour traffic. I must say I was amazed! People actually follow the rules. Quite a change from Houston, where people jump in … Read more
Conversation I had on the phone today: Me: Hello, I’m calling about…. Lady: Speak English please. Me: I AM speaking English. I’m calling about…. Lady: Please can you speak English? Me: I AM SPEAKING ENGLISH!
Opening ceremony: Olivia Newton John singing “Physical” Parade of cats wearing flags of the world. Closing ceremony: Man with broom sweeping everyone out.
As an American, I am often confused as to why no one thinks to loot the entire city of Stockholm in July. Everyone is gone on vacation. It’s actually a bit nice and a bit spooky at the same time. Advantages to staying in town during the summer: 1. All laundry times are available. 2. … Read more
So after 3 attempts at the theory test and 4 attempts at the driving test, I finally got my Swedish driver’s license! My idea is that they took a look at my bank account and decided I couldn’t afford to fail anymore, so it was finally time to give in and pass me. To sum … Read more
Major panic in the office yesterday. The man who orders the coffee went on vacation. NOOOOO!!!! Our department was completely out of coffee. There was a mild panic and traffic jam of people just staring at the coffee machine. Luckily the resourceful and sneaky American (me) came up with the brilliant idea of just taking the coffee … Read more
We have a new princess in Sweden today. Very exciting. Everyone at the office is talking about it. It turns out that the Crown Princess delivered her baby in the same hospital that I delivered my first child. Something tells me our experiences were different. My questions: – Did she have to pass the creepy … Read more
1. Apple cider vinegar can turn your skin red 2. If you put an egg in your hair and rinse with warm water, it will cook. Conditioning hair and making breakfast at the same time!
I’m convinced the upstairs neighbors put their faces to the floor and cough down to our apartment. I’m also pretty sure they’re playing basketball and moving furniture every night at 10 p.m.
I’m currently trying to look up a way to get rid of fruit flies in the house so that I won’t have to throw away my Christmas plants. Unfortunately, the world has gone overboard with political correctness and all I am able to find on the internet is “catch and release” suggestions for fruit flies. … Read more
Today I will be spending 4 hours at a slippery course. What is a slippery course, you say? It’s a requirement toward getting a Swedish drivers license. From what I understand, it’s a racetrack where they create patches of water and ice in order to teach you what it feels like to drive and break … Read more
I’m looking though Singapore Airlines webpage and trying to fill in a form. I have to say, all the airlines I’ve ever used only give a choice of “Mr., Mrs., Miss, Mstr.” Singapore Airlines has a drop-down menu of possibly 50 different titles including, “Duchess, Sultan, Queen, President, etc.” I have a feeling this airline … Read more
Listening to Dexy’s Midnight Runners this morning. When is the adult blue-Jean overall coming back into fashion? It was actually popular in the mid-eighties. I owned a pair. Legwamers have come back, leggings, some people are trying to bring shoulder-pads back, but why not blue-Jean overalls? If I remember correctly I wore mine with a … Read more
I was in a meeting today with an old man in a suit. He would have looked very sophisticated except for the wild white hair going in all different directions all over his head. I’ve decided I really like this look. It’s the “charming old man genius” look. Is there a fashion magazine for people … Read more
There are only 3 bathrooms at work for our floor of around 60 people so with all of the coffee drinking around here I am sometimes forced to use the second floor bathroom, or the Angry Voodoo Bathroom as I like to call it. All other bathrooms in the building are fairly normal, but apparently … Read more
Leo has the chicken pox this week. At the moment it is my turn to be home with him a couple of days. Lucky for me, this is also the same time that the temperatures dropped between -15 c and -20c. Leo and I sit at the window, drinking hot chocolate and waving at all … Read more
Just checked Amazon’s “Gift Ideas for Grandma” section. They suggest the Millenium book series. I’m not really sure that’s the right choice for most of the grandmothers I know.
A little re-cap of my Wednesday morning subway ride: 7:31- Trapped in crowded subway tube next to child coughing up a lung. Apparently a side effect from all that coughing is kicking. Picked the wrong day to wear a skirt. 7:40 – Pushed forward after three stops to crowded middle area where I was coughed … Read more